As the seller states, “This 1956 Bel Air is all original and comes straight out of my wife’s grandfather’s barn (literally) in upstate New York.” Since we aren’t told that he was the original owner, we’ll assume he wasn’t, but at least you have the possibility of getting some ownership history, right? The car is located in Jordan, New York, and is being offered here on eBay. Bidding is up over $9,000 at this point but has not yet met the reserve.
Okay, all you four door haters move along now. Some of us have families to transport! And it is a four-door hardtop–no post there. And those are pretty darned big rear doors, aren’t they? This car really looks nicely kept, with some possibility of rust along the very lowest points. If you are bidding from afar, it might be a good idea to ask for some close up pictures.
To me, the fender skirts really class up the profile of the car. The seller says about 50% of the chrome has already been replated, and on this car that is saying something. They also remark that the bumper is a deluxe model; I think they are referring to the larger front overriders, but I’ll bet a Barn Finds reader knows the truth and will share–right?
As best as I can tell, this is the original interior, which is quite plausible if the 65,500 original mile claim is correct. I think it could stand to be cleaned, but I sure wouldn’t look at replacing it. As a matter of fact, based on these pictures, I wouldn’t be replacing anything except possibly a set of tires and going over the brakes! I think this car is a nice, largely original driver and that’s just the way I’d like it!
Ok, a pet peeve here, and I’m guilty of it too. I wish folks would make an effort to either get a period appearing battery or at least remove the bright graphics from the modern one they have. However, apart from the missing air cleaner (removed for visibility? to add starting fluid? who knows?), the engine looks pretty good and is said to be in good running condition. The Powerglide transmission would be perfect for cruising around the rural area where I live. Yup, this would be a nice one to have! Any of you feel the same way?
pretty well equipped 56 with power brakes/steering 265 power pack and looks like it is in good shape. needs to be closely inspected for rust though. wonder what the reserve is? I am thinking the interior has been reupholstered?
This one also has a very rare factory windshield washer system, electric wipers, clock and, rear seat speaker. The original buyer checked off some nice equipment when buying this car. I’m just wondering what the under dash add-on is left of the steering column
I’m with you Jamie, right down to the battery. Don’t touch it other than find an air cleaner and drive it like that.
But that comment about some of the chrome being replated has me wondering …
As president of the 4-door haters club, I will be moving along now!
Oh yeah!! If I had the 9K, I’d buy this for
my MIL who had a ’57 Bel Air 2-door HT
until my FIL totalled it out in a winter time
traffic accident. Sure it’s got four doors,
but the extra interior space would be welcome. This car is perfect to me as
it would be driven almost every day.
Mom never got over losing her Bel Air
and after showing her this car, I think
she’d be very happy driving it. Great
find Jamie! It’s absolutely perfect!
Pretty car. The more door hardtops weren’t very common, and a common problem with them was quieting the wind noise. I would buy it as a nice cruiser.
Brings back memories from my childhood; an aunt and uncle on my mom’s side had this very car, except the lower portion was red with white upper, right down to the rear fender skirts and 4 doors; an aunt and uncle on my dad’s side had a 1957 Bel Air 4 door with white top and red body; numerous other relatives had 1955, 56 and 57 Chevys as well, including a 1955 Delray my parents had.
Nice car but I would lose the skirts. Some cars look good with them, but IMO, not on this one. What happened to the bow ties on the hood & deck lid?
The VIN is missing a digit (probably a 5 in the 3rd digit spot) but what is there seems accurate: It IS a BelAir and has the V8 engine..This car was built in California (L.A. plant) so is a long way from home. It has apparently spent 40 years in road salt territory. I wonder if it was in the southwest for the first twenty? The way the paint is flaking in the rain channel at the trunk makes me suspect a repaint, especially since the green is visible where the paint has flaked off. I would like to see the fender tag to determine original colours.
I see rust bubbles near the stainless at the windows which might be nothing or could be signs of big troubles underneath. The trunk lid looks rusty – condensation left to fester? If so, the trunk floor bears inspection. Some under car pix would be nice too.
But it is a nice looking unit and I agree is a likely candidate for a full restoration unless there are worse rust issues. The door skins, inner quarters, fenders, headlight areas and rockers all look good but a closer look is definitely needed.
India Ivory and Pine Forest Green? Me thinks this suggests a repaint! Along with the green dash and green door panels. Replaced seat covers also.
Enough with the replace the battery already! If this was a show car then I would understand. You cant beat new battery technology.
I’m with you on the batteries and also the temporay battery terminals too!
nice……
My grandma had one of these, it was white over Forrest green. I loved riding in it, without the post it gave you the wind in your hair feeling of a convertible, and was easier for a kid to see out of than the post car. I love all the 4 door hardtop sand wish the body style was still around. I would drive this until the weather turned bad, the restore it over the winter.
I would like to say that’s a beautiful car and my absolute favorite Chevs , the 56 I just love them and I actually own one myself, I live in Australia and my 56 210 4 door sedan is a genuine Right Hand Drive and mine is heavily modified, but I do love the 4 door hardtop, it would be great just to drive it the way it is now and the gorgeous colour combination is almost the same as mine just beautiful Cheers everyone from Mitchell Sunshine Coast Queensland Australia.
Goodonya Man, and Fairdinkum !! I’ve been a Oz Land a couple times and love it, Spent a lot of time in and around Sydney, The Blue Mountains and Katoomba. Sure wish we had your guys Beers here. Sure miss the Thouey’s Red!!
We don’t know the whole story here, and gramps could have left the family with a pile of debt ( been there) but it saddens me that these folks wouldn’t want to hang on to this, in memory of gramps. Younger people just don’t hold dear today what we did. I mean, it looks like a usable classic. The no air cleaner and battery are signs, someone just wants to move this car. I hope someone get’s to enjoy this cool car. And the fender skirts are totally correct. My Packard had skirts, I like the looks.
Slip and Slide with Powerglide, a.k.a. Peanut Butter Drive
Two speeds forward. Passing gear was low gear.
If the throttle was held to the floor a speedometer indicated 56 mph could be achieved in low gear. Highway speed limits were 65 mph. So if you were
on a two-lane highway and going 52 mph behind a car you wanted to pass,
pay close attention to what was coming in the oncoming lane in the distance!
Because, “flooring it” created a lot of noise but not much extra forward momentum,then a sloppy shift into high gear, and again not much extra
forward momentum.
They were very cool cars but don’t tangle with a similar year Olds or Pontiac at the stop light.
Hi Had Two, I know, who’d have thought the Powerglide would become the transmission of choice for drag racing. Even stock, they were a pretty tough trans.
Howard,
The ‘glide in this car should be a cast iron version. The ‘glide used for drag racing, is the aluminum version that was released around ’61-’62.
I know you were just toying with us.
Father bought one new, I drove it until l968 when the rust took over. Chrome was not GM’s best, within a year the tail light chrome had pitted, within two years the bumpers and the trim piece atop the grill, and the hood ornament had pitted, despite yours truly’s best efforts at paste wax protection.
The best part was that the car was ultimately reliable, had good ground clearance, would go 70 all day and served me well.
The problem with the fender skirts is the flare on the body above the wheel, they always looked weird to me, if the body had been flat so the skirt fitted flat, it would have looked a lot better.
And the “4 door hardtop” looks great to me, we had the regular 4 door sedan, which was ugly, to me, but probably better in a roll over – I put in Sears seatbelts in l959 and felt relatively secure – a friend with a convertible and I practiced roll over drill (while stationary), passenger ducks forward, driver ducks behind him/her. Not sure how much it would have helped, but in the 50’s ejection from the vehicle was common, and crushed heads in rolled over convertibles were the norm.
21st century cars look really good with four doors cars from the 1960s and 50s do not
Problem with that is….75% of 21st Century vehicles on the road are four doored and they all look like eggs or jellybeans with black wheels…..boring.
I like it in four door form although I’d much rather have a ’56 Ford.
This is the car I learned how to drive, when I was about 8 years old. Entry level, bare bones. Vinyl flooring, radio delete. It DID have a heater. Crocus Yellow and Laurel Green. I recall hearing Grandma singing “Loopity Loo” when driving. Grandparents are (were) the coolest.
first year for 4 door hardtop for General Motors. have had 57s’ but prefer look of the 56 models.
Someone please correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe 1956 was the first year for the 4-door hardtop for Chevrolet and Pontiac only. Olds, Buick, and Cadillac had them at least one year earlier.